Chief cane officer of Azamgarh suspended

LUCKNOW: The state government on Wednesday suspended chief cane officer of Azamgarh-based Sathiaon sugar mill on charges of corruption and dereliction of duty.
The officer Radheyshyam Paswan was accused of purchasing under-rated quality cane for the cooperative sugar mill which resulted in poor quantity of sugar production, the cane development department said in a statement.He has also been accused of delaying cane procurement which resulted in supply of poor and stale quality cane to the mill, the department said. Paswan’s involvement in corruption was also found in an audio clip in which officers of cane purchase centres could be heard seeking bribe for purchase of cane at the purchasing centres.
Investigations also revealed that 39 cane trolleys were found parked at the cane purchase centres without the mandatory receipts. The department had also sought clarification from Paswan on advance cane procurement and decline in cane cultivation area but he did not file any reply.